1. This mini-lesson will cover: 1) What are the different types of scientific investigations? 2) What are the components of a good?

2. Day 1: Scientific Investigations Scientific investigations test whether a hypothesis is true or not. Discuss with your partner some methods scientists test hypothesis and give examples. 1) Experiments Used to examine how one thing affects another under controlled conditions. Experiments can be done in the laboratory or outdoors in some cases. 2) Observational studies Used when experiments are impractical or unethical to do. (study of large animal habitats or certain tests on humans.)

3. Day 1: cont… 3) High tech data collectors Used to study places that are too far away or too dangerous to get to. (Ex. Space telescopes, deep space probes. 4) Models Used when objects are too small (atoms) or too vast (climate change) to observe. ** In methods 2,3 and 4 scientist try to look for patterns in the data to help draw conclusions.

4. Day 2: Requirements for a good experiment. Good investigations try to be as unbiased and accurate as possible. Read the handout and list the requirements for a good experiment. Be sure to define any important terms in your notes.

5. Day 2: cont.., possible answers 1) Study no more than two variables at a time. Dependent variable is the one that changes according to the change in the other variable. (ex: plant growth) Independent variable is manipulated or changed by the scientist to see how it affects the dependent variable. (ex: the amount of fertilizer) 2) Use a control A control is a comparison group that does not get the independent variable or a set of conditions that do not change. Controls are used to see if outside factors are affecting the results instead of the just independent variable. Ex. In a test on how the amount of fertilizer affects plant growth, a control would not get any fertilizer.

6. Day 2: continued 3) Eliminate or control all outside variables you are not testing. (Ex: if testing fertilizer, all subjects should get the same amount of sun, water, soil etc…) 4) Test on a large sample size to reduce the chance of error. (Ex. Test on 100 plants instead of 10) 5) Test on a variety of subjects. (Ex. Test on different plants instead of one kind.) 6) Repeat the experiment as many times as practical to make sure you get consistent results. 7) Publish results in a scientific journal so other scientists can repeat your experiment and critique your methods or conclusions.

7. Day 3: Practice Problems 1. A scientists wants to determine the percent of teenagers who like pizza. She interviews teenagers leaving a pizza restaurant. Out of 50 teenagers surveyed, 45 report that they like pizza. The scientist concludes that 90 percent of teenagers like to eat pizza. Which is the source of the bias in this survey? 2) A scientist designs an experiment to test the effects of different amounts of exercise and various medications on the amount of pain experienced by long- distance runners. Explain why this is a poor design and describe how the scientist could improve the design.

8. Day 3: cont…. 3) Why is it wise to limit an experiment to only one factor (independent) variable at a time. 4) Why are the “methods and materials “section of a scientific article so important. I Po

9. Day 3: cont… Possible Answers 1. Test subjects were not varied. They should have interviewed teenagers at other locations. 2. The experiment tried to test too many variables at one time. It should have test only one exercise or medication each time. 3. Testing one independent variable at a time eliminate s uncertainty over amount of influence each variable has on the dependent variable. 4. So other scientists can repeat the experiment and confirm the results.

10. Day 4: Quiz (Oh Yeah!!!)